Do You Have to Be Broke to Get Help?

Justin, We just transferred my dad from in-patient rehab to long-term care in a nursing home. Medicare was paying for his rehab, but the first bill after rehab ended was more than $6,000. Does he have to pay these bills until he’s broke to get any financial help with these charges? – Dan

Dan, No, the worst thing your father could possibly do would
be to simply pay the nursing home charges out of pocket until his money runs
out. One of the most important
things the attorneys at my firm do on a weekly basis is help families find
better ways to deal with the high costs of long-term care.

One benefit your father might be able to take advantage of
is Medicaid. The vast majority of
nursing home residents receive Medicaid benefits. The difference between them is whether they spent every
penny they had before becoming eligible for the benefit or they worked with
someone who really understood the rules so they could save some assets while
becoming eligible. The business
offices at most nursing homes are willing and able to help families apply for
Medicaid, but they are not trained or equipped to help those families save
assets while they move towards qualification.

Many fear Medicaid because they have heard horror stories
about families losing their homes after going on the benefit. Some of those stories are true, but
when you work with a firm like ours that knows what it’s doing, you can avoid
those traps.

Another benefit your father might look into is VA Aid and
Attendance. If he served on active
duty during a period of war, he might be eligible for a tax-free monthly
pension designed to help offset the costs of long-term care.

Without more details, I can’t identify your father’s best
course of action right now, but I can say with certainty that paying out of
pocket until he’s broke is not the way to go. Call today for a no charge consultation with one of our
attorneys, or check out our website to learn more.